MEXICO CITY (AP) — The governor of a Mexican state bordering Texas has suggested investigators reach out to the FBI for assistance in a case of eight alleged extrajudicial killings carried out by Tamaulipas police.

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The City of Brownsville received a $20,000 AARP Community Challenge 2019 grant to transform the 14th Street Plaza.

The winners were announced Wednesday and the City of Brownsville is one of the 159 recipients of grant this year. The AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) Community Challenge grant is part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative, which helps communities become great places to live for residents of all ages.

“People of all ages can relate to our downtown in one way or another,” Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez said. “(The grant) will help in our efforts to beautify public spaces and make downtown more vibrant and walkable for our citizens and visitors.”

Grant award winning projects are designed to: create vibrant public places that improve open spaces, parks and access to other amenities; demonstrate the tangible value of “Smart Cities” by engaging residents and policymakers in accessing, understanding and using data to increase quality of life for all; deliver a range of transportation and mobility options that increase connectivity, walkability, bikeability, wayfinding, access to transportation options and roadway improvements; and support the availability of a range of housing that increases accessible and affordable housing options.

Mendez said the grant will help to aesthetically transform the 14th Street Plaza and residents should see a larger impact in the amount of people who are able to enjoy the beauty and comfort of this unique space. He also said that from a cultural perspective, it is important to know and be able to appreciate our history.

“I believe that we should invest in what makes our city unique. Heritage and tourism are both a short and long-term win due to its very quantifiable economic impact,” he said. “Our downtown is a real gem and it separates us from other cities in the state.”